That's strange
by Inamioly
Summary: Spoilers for S9ep12: what happens after Ziva gets that phonecall from Ray? Tony gets moody. The funny kind of moody.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: CAREFUL CAREFUL, Spoiler for season 9 episode 12 Housekeeping!**

_**Set after Ziva gets the phone call from Ray. McGee comes back to the bullpen and…**_

"I find it strange…" McGee mused aloud. The bullpen was empty but for Tony, who sat in his chair doing paperwork.

"Hmm…" Tony mumbled.

"I find it very, very…" McGee inhaled and relaxed into his own seat, crossing his arms over his chest and raising a meditative eyebrow. "… very strange, indeed."

"Right…"

"Do you want to know what it is that I find so strange?" He asked, raising his head ever so subtly so as to peek at Tony's desk.

"Sure, sure…"

McGee got up slowly and tiptoed to behind him. "I find it strange, abnormal, unnatural… that you are violating, as mercilessly as it gets, you hero's name." He sniffed in mocking horror. "Oh, dear God… your hero's name."

Tony's head snapped up and he quickly gathered all his scribbled and otherwise blank pages. "I don't know what you are talking about." He straightened his back and faced McGee, his eyes fierce and defying. "This is me. Doing. Paperwork."

McGee let out an amused chuckle. "What did Mr. Sean do to you this time?"

"Nothing." He hammered as he stared moodily at the paper pile he had just built.

"C'mon… he must have done something, or else you wouldn't have been scratching his name for the past two hours and scoffing like a loveless teenager between the colorful ages of fourteen to seventeen."

"At least he wasn't drawing hearts, McGee. Not all is lost." Sighing and shaking his head, Gibbs came from, well, nowhere, and ruffled Tony's hair.

Tony, who had been squinting in anticipation, replaced the upset glare with a disbelief one. "What?"

"Writing his name is no drawing hearts, granted, but it's close enough for me to know not to hit a girl."

McGee laughed. "Oh, nice, virtual high five, boss." He lifted the hand, but Gibbs' look discouraged him. "Right, good one, boss, and back to work."

Gibbs turned on the computer. "No, McGee, back home. Go home, come back tomorrow. Case closed."

"Awesome, boss, thanks. I'll go down to Abby's to see if she's done too."

Gibbs laughed quietly. "Didn't ask…"

"Right, goodnight!" They heard him from the elevator, his voice fading as the doors closed on them.

"'You not going, Dinozzo?" The older man asked without lifting his eyes from the screen, typing loud enough to be humorous.

"Gently, boss. Caress the keyboard, don't hurt it." Tony rolled his eyes. "And no… I mean, yes, but not yet, so no."

"'Going to keep on profaning the poor man's name? You could do something productive, like, I don't know…"

"Paperwork?" Tony smirked.

"Actual paperwork, yes." Gibbs nodded.

Tony muttered something barely audible, and then silence settled in. Tony put the red pen away in his drawer, and stared at his hands, and Gibbs said nothing. They remained comfortably in that situation, until Gibbs spoke up.

"I could really use Ziva right now. She can kick this damned machine straight, and if I do it, this evil thing might get killed and kill my next paycheck as well."

"Yeah, well… I could help you…" Tony offered, reluctant, content with his current situation.

"Right, and what do you know of computers that I don't?"

"I know more of telephones to call McGee and get his ass back here."

"Dinozzo, that's just selfish. Let him and Abby have their fun. But yes, use your telephones-related knowledge to turn Ziva's off and get _her _back here." Gibbs ordered.

Tony opened and closed his mouth several times, each time trying to find the right fight-back sentence. "N- n- no. No."

Gibbs furrowed his eyebrows. "No? Yes, now move along, I ain't got all night."

"No… I know better than to interrupt." He felt himself pout, almost childishly, but did not back down and kept eyeing Gibbs.

Gibbs sighed and removed his glasses from his nose. "I'm only going to say this once…"

"Yeah…" He challenged.

"And I hope I do not come to regret it."

Tony swallowed.

"It won't last long. It might last, but only if she gets no better offer. If she does, though…it… won't…last long. Now, go get me someone who can understand a bigger sentence than that to fix this damned machine. And by that I mean…"

Tony stood up. "Ziva."

Ziva stood there, facing them, her phone still in her hand. Tony eyed her expectantly. "We broke up. I broke things off." A tear slid down her face.

**A/N: I have no idea why I came up with this story. I guess Tiva inspires me like this. Multi-chaptered story, people, lets's see if this is the story I'm able to finish ;) Reviews are more than welcome, and suggestions are like music to my ears!  
>Question: <strong>why was Tony angry at Sean Connery? X)**  
>Kisses, everyone, have fun!<br>Rita**


	2. Chapter II

_Ziva stood there, facing them, her phone still in her hand. Tony eyed her expectantly. "We broke up. I broke things off." A tear slid down her face._

Tony and Gibbs stood up, but while Tony wouldn't move, Gibbs walked slowly towards her. "I'm so sorry to hear that." He kissed her cheek and wiped her tear. "You two, go home. I'm going to Vance's, and when I get back I want this bullpen to be emptier than I left it."

Both agents nodded, Ziva eyeing the ground and Tony trying to pull her stare up. Gibbs' footsteps became more distant, and Ziva sniffed timidly, still standing in the middle of the bullpen.

Tony cleared his throat. "Though I didn't… hum… like him, I'm also sorry to hear that."

Ziva smiled sadly. "Thank you, Tony. It was meant to happen, yes, but somehow I cannot help but be sad."

"That's… normal, I guess." Tony smiled back. "Every scumbag has the right to be missed for the first… hum… five minutes past his disappearance. You have, therefore, two minutes and… thirty-two seconds to cry."

Ziva chuckled quietly. "I shall not cry, and I cannot not believe you would even consider that to be an option for me." She lifted her gaze.

"Well, Zee-Vah, while I do appreciate an act of bravery every time I get to see one, it kind of loses effect when it has tears on the mix." He reached out for her hand, and moved slowly in her direction when she wouldn't. "C'mere, ninja." And he pulled her into an embrace.

Ziva fought back at first, but then relaxed into his chest. Tony rested his chin on her head, conscious of how cliché it appeared, and, at the same time, realizing clichés were what they were for a reason. They worked.

He put a hand on her cheek, and realized it was wet. Ziva sniffed again.

"I am sorry, Tony. I know you do not like to see me cry for him, but this time I cannot help it."

Tony laughed sternly. "Eh, don't sweat it. I'm just glad you don't like him either." He paused. "Wait, do you know what that means?"

Ziva frowned at his enthusiasm. "No… should I?"

"It means… we can trash him!"

Ziva smiled and shook her head. "You always manage to ruin the best moments."

Tony raised an eyebrow teasingly. "I hadn't realized we were even having one right now."

"Yes, you are clueless alright."

"That's me." Tony's face lit up. "Hey, I know what I can do to make you feel better."

"I know too." Ziva mumbled, slightly annoyed at his constant outbursts. "You can be quiet and stand still. I need a manly hug… and if I have to settle with yours, try to do an acceptable job, at the very least." She ended, playful.

"Hardy har har. No, I really do know." He let go of the hug, but grabbed her hand and walked towards his desk. He sat in his chair, and made Ziva sit on his lap.

"No, Tony, doing _your _paperwork won't make me feel better." She rolled her eyes.

"Why must you always think so low of me?" He turned his computer back on and typed his password.

Ziva eyed him curiously. "Tony… do I want to know why your password starts with _ass _and ends with _boobs_?"

"Wha- How- Damn ninja." He grumbled. "No, you don't. Now be quiet, and let me work my magic."

Ziva leant back, her head resting on his shoulder, and Tony smiled. "Comfortable, much?"

"Indeed. Your baby fat came in handy, after all."

"See? I told you." He placed a hand on her waist. "Now, don't get too comfortable, because you are about to see…" He focused, squinting his eyes. "Aha, here it is. Baby animals! With guests such as the ever so famous puppies, kittens and baby bunnies, tiger cubs, lion cubs and a special one I heard of on Oprah – nah, McGee told me -, baby Ligers."

Ziva stared at him in disbelief, while he stared back expectantly. "Ta-dah." He grinned, quite content with himself.

"Baby animals? That's your solution?" She asked, sitting up in his lap.

"Yes. Now, just give it a chance, because while I, myself, as a man, don't particularly like to watch these kinds of – aww…" He cooed. A puppy bounced into the screen, his puppy ears jumping along.

Ziva smiled and cuddled her head into his chest. "That's… actually… really cute. Aw, now it's playing with the big cat."

Tony sighed. "I want a puppy."

"Me too." She agreed, distracted. "Put that one, now. The one with the baby Bagels."

"Beagles, Ziva, not Bag- aww."

"That's it, I want that one, Tony. Pretty please?"

Tony chuckled. "That's nothing. Wait till you see the tiger cub that was adopted by a family of lions."

And so the night went by, and Gibbs never returned. Tony guessed his computer had never been broken as around 3 a.m. it beeped and a lady voice said _you have mail_. Around 4.30 a.m., Ziva went very silent, and he guessed her to be asleep. Before her breathing slowed down, he heard her ask, "Tony? I thought you loved Sean Connery?"

He smiled and removed the Sean-hate pile from her curious sight. "We were on bad terms, but he won back my love tonight."

**A/N: Thanks for everyone who favorited this story, and/or put it on alert! A special thanks to: Phosphorescent, Tenahi, TonyJamesReidFan, ForeignMusicLyrics, VioletHawk, Robern and drumss.**

**I apologize if this chapter didn't meet your expectations, it's just the second chapter is always the most difficult to write (for me).**

**Loved your reviews, they made my day, and don't worry: though I didn't specifically mentioned the altercation between our beloved Tony and his beloved Sean, it wasn't Connery's last appearance. I have a perfect ending lined up for this story, and Sean will be mentioned.**

**Kisses, keep on reviewing and making suggestions!**

**Rita**


End file.
